


His Translator

by Azuri_Draws



Category: Henry Stickmin Series (Video Games)
Genre: Benery - Freeform, Benry, Burnry, Burt curtis x henry stickmin, Burt x Henry, Burtmin, Burtstick, Copperright, Henry stickmin x burt curtis, Henry x burt, M/M, Stickcur - Freeform, Stickur
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-16
Updated: 2021-01-18
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:29:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 11,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26490430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azuri_Draws/pseuds/Azuri_Draws
Summary: Burt wanted to repay Henry (his selective mute boss) for his kindness, and he had an idea how
Relationships: Burt Curtis/Henry Stickmin, Reginald Copperbottom/Right Hand Man, Stickcur
Comments: 62
Kudos: 336





	1. Chapter 1

Having Henry Stickmin as the boss was...interesting, as Burt would put it. Not bad at all, Henry was a good boss. He just took time to get used to. The first thing people noticed was his selective mutism. Henry tended to prefer signing instead of talking. Again, not a bad thing, but not every member of the Toppat Clan knew sign language, which made meetings difficult sometimes. Whenever Henry did talk, it was clear that he wasn't comfortable. His voice was slightly hoarse, and constantly sounded strained. That's when Burt really came into the picture. If someone came up to Burt and told him that he would end up acting as Henry's "translator", he'd say they were messing with him, after all, none of the previous Toppat leaders thought he was that important.

It started when Henry began visiting Burt's little office. He'd ask how Burt he was doing and bring him lunch or sweets; small gestures like that made Burt feel appreciative of him. He eventually wanted to return the favor, and he had an idea how.

Henry walked into Burt's office, "Hello Burt!" Henry's hoarse voice catching said man's attention. Burt turned away from his computer and faced his boss as Henry took a seat in the spare seat in the room. "Hi boss." Burt replied. "How are you?" Henry asked, clearing his throat after doing so, his voice was a bit more hoarse than usual. Burt made a mental note of that before speaking, "I'm good. Yourself?" Burt replied, "Oh I'm alright, a little tired, but I'm fine." 'Liar' Burt thought, he could tell there was more to it than that, but he didn't push it. Clearly Henry didn't want to go into further detail. Burt decided this was the moment to repay his boss for his kindness.

"Hey. Boss."

"Hmm?"

Burt raised his hands and began to sign 'Just so you know, I know sign language. You can communicate to me this way, if you feel more comfortable doing so.'

Henry's face lit up. Finally he could communicate with someone without his throat hurting! Henry lifted his hands, signing back 'Thank you Burt, that means a lot.'

That's how Burt became Henry's personal "translator".


	2. His Translator Part 2

Being Henry's translator wasn't too hard. Burt just had to read Henry's signing and tell everyone else what he said. Burt ended up attending many important meetings between Henry, Reginald (and his right hand man, of course), and whoever else it concerned. The first important meeting he attended was about some heist or something, he couldn't remember. As soon as the others saw Burt at Henry's side, some looks of confusion were immediately shared.

Reginald spoke first. "Burt? What are you doing here?"  
"Henry asked me to be here." Burt replied.

"Really?" Reginald asked, confused. "Henry, has there been a last minute change of plans?" Henry lifted his hands, beginning to sign. Burt watched his hands attentively, before relaying the information to the other Toppats.

"Henry prefers to sign, I know sign language. So I'm going to act as his translator from now on so he can stop hurting his throat every day."  
Right Hand Man spoke up. "Didn't know you knew sign."

Burt replied bluntly "Wasn't relevant before." Right nodded in understanding, and the meeting carried on. Henry signing, Burt speaking. It was the same routine for most meetings, except for when Burt couldn't attend. Henry started off signing slowly, in case it would end up being too much for Burt, but Burt proved to be quite fluent in sign, so Henry eventually went with his preferred speed, with little to no problems for Burt.

After a while of doing this the two of them got closer, spending their spare time together. Eventually, Henry had become curious.  
'Hey Burt, can I ask you something?' Henry asked. "Yeah boss, what's up?" Burt responded, his gaze switching between Henry's hands and Henry's face. 'I've been wondering.' Henry continued. 'You're clearly very fluent in sign language. Where did you learn to sign?'  
Burt paused for a second. Then responded.

"I grew up learning how to sign, my dad lost his hearing to polio before I was born, so my whole family used sign to communicate." Burt explained. 'That makes sense.' Henry replied. It was quiet between them for a bit. "Hey boss, can I ask you something?" Burt asked. Henry nodded, thinking it was fair. "Have you always been a selective mute? You don't have to answer if you don't want to. I get it if it's too personal."

'Don't worry, it's not super personal to me.' Henry started, 'I had to get surgery done when I was in middle school, the doctor made a mistake and my larynx was damaged. It's not so bad to the point I can't can't talk now, but it still hurts if I use my voice too much. I actually didn't learn sign until my highschool years. It made a lot of things difficult.'

Surgery gone wrong? That wasn't what Burt was expecting. Then again, he wasn't sure what he was expecting honestly, it could've been pretty much anything.  
'Do you want to see my surgery scar?' Henry signed, breaking Burt's train of thought. "If you're really comfortable with it, sure." Henry removed the diamond charm that held his scarf in place, then unbuttoned his shirt, holding it open to expose his chest.

The thing that surprised Burt the most wasn't just the long and deep looking surgery scar, but the fact that Henry had many more on his chest alone. Some larger than others. What kind of hell has this guy gone through to warrant that many scars? Burt looked at Henry. His gaze switched between Henry's scarred chest and Henry's eyes. There was so much he wanted to know.  
…  
Burt wasn't sure what came over him in the moment, but he suddenly reached his hand out and gently touched the long, vertical, surgery scar. Henry flinched for a second, but didn't retaliate. After a few seconds, Burt withdrew his hand, realizing how awkward he just made the situation. He was never super expressive, but even so, his face was beat red from embarrassment. What did he just do!?

To be continued?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you guys want to see more of this?


	3. His Translator Part 3

Why did I do that!? Burt thought to himself, embarrassed at his apparent lack of impulse control. He shows me his surgery scar and my first reaction is to touch it!? What is wrong with me? Burt's internal panic continued as Henry tried to think of how to respond. "I'm sorry for doing that, boss. I'm honestly not sure why I did it all." Burt uttered as he buried his face in his hands. Henry awkwardly smiled, finally having an idea on what to do. 

Henry tapped Burt's hands, gaining his attention. Burt moved his hands, making eye contact with Henry. "Yes boss? Wha-" Burt's sentence was cut off by Henry's hand on his own chest. Now he was confused. After a few more seconds of having Henry's hand on his chest, Henry pulled away, signing to Burt. 'There, now we're even. Nothing to worry about.' Henry gave him a friendly smile, easing the tension. It was moments like these that made Burt appreciate him. 'If you want to check out my scars, just ask. I trust you, Burt.' Burt wasn't sure if he felt more or less awkward, but he decided to go with it. 

"Can I ask about the other scars? You have a surprising amount of them.." Burt asked, curiously. 'Sure, just point to one.' Burt nodded, staring at the numerous scars littering Henry's chest. He pointed to one that marked his collarbone, it was short, but clearly deep. "How'd you get that one?"

Henry looked at the scar, recalling its origin. 

'I got this one while I was still in prison. I was ambushed in the restroom when this guy stabbed me with a sharpened toothbrush, kind of funny, right? Still hurt like hell though.' 

"I bet it did." 

The two of them continued this pattern. Burt points to a scar, Henry tells a story along with it. Got stabbed here, stray bullet there, heck, even a guard dog attack. It was odd at first, but they eventually got comfortable with it. After a good while, it became Henry's turn to ask the questions. 'Well Burt now that you know more about me, how about I learn more about you?' Henry signed. "Hmm, guess it's only fair. Ask away, boss." 

'Alright, if I ask something too personal, just let me know. Alright?' Henry queried. "Sure thing boss."

'I'm aware you know English and sign language, do you speak any other languages?'

Burt gave him a small smile.

"Sí señor, conozco varios idiomas. Je me suis spécialisé en linguistique à l'université.' 

Henry raised his brows in surprise. 'Did you just talk in Spanish and French? That's impressive.' Henry stated, amazed. I can see why he's the head of communications, he's clearly brilliant when he chooses to put in the effort. Henry thought. What else can Burt do? Burt was honestly surprised at Henry's compliment. None of the previous leaders said anything like that to him, at most he'd get a "Thanks" or "Took ya long enough" or something else along those lines. He never really that much, he just tuned it out, but he had to admit… it was nice having someone think of him as "impressive". It was nice having someone check in on him, talk to him, taking genuine interest in him, it was just… pleasant, feeling genuinely appreciated for once. "Hey boss-" "Henry!" Burt was cut off by a familiar voice. 

"Hi Ellie, is everything okay?" Henry spoke, his voice, as usual, was strained. He probably just spoke up to save time communicating. Judging by Ellie's tone, it was urgent. "Henry, we need your help, Reginald gave us a distress call from The Wall, and Right is losing it right now." Henry looked towards Burt, quickly signing 'Sorry Burt, I gotta go. I'll see you later' 

"Okay boss, see ya." Burt replied. 

Good luck. Burt thought, turning to his computer. I wonder how that's gonna go.

To be continued...


	4. His Translator Part 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Got some copperright in this chapter

Right Hand Man paced around the briefing room angrily. Henry couldn't blame him, Reginald meant the world to him, not knowing whether or not his spouse was okay was clearly eating at him. "Don't worry Right Hand Man, we'll get him." Ellie assured. "Yer goddamn right we will!" Right hollered, his frustration only growing. "Henry and I broke out once, we can do it again." Ellie stated with confidence.   
"Hm!" Henry hummed, getting the attention of the other two. "Looks like Henry's got an idea." Right observed, ready to do whatever it took to bring Reginald back home.  
"Alright Henry, what's your plan?" Ellie questioned.  
"Warden's got a grudge against me. I could distract him and some of his guards while you two get Reginald." Henry proposed.  
"Seems pretty straightforward." Right states bluntly.   
"Let's get some supplies, and start this rescue mission!"

…

To say Henry caused a distraction would be an understatement. In less than fifteen minutes, Henry managed to blow up one of the complex's walls, hijack a car, and had a notable amount of guards pursuing him (as well as the warden, but that was probably because of the previously mentioned grudge he had against Henry). Henry was currently driving the car he stole away from the complex, giving Ellie and Right an opening. The two of them spent a good chunk of time breaking into prison cells until they finally found Reginald. Ellie used a backpack while Right Hand Man just used his cybernetic enhancements, holding Reginald as they flew to lower ground. Deciding to wait under the cover of trees, out of sight as they waited for Henry to meet up with them.   
They waited for a few minutes when they saw Henry standing on the cliff's edge above them, facing the warden. In a matter of seconds, things went from great to horrible. Either Henry fell, or the warden pushed him, regardless, Henry tumbled all the way down the cliffside. Landing a boulder in front of the three of them, a sickening snap heard as he fell limp.   
"HENRY!" Ellie and Reginald shouted. Ellie ran toward Henry, gathering him in her arms as she called the Toppats to beam them back up to the station.   
As soon as they made it to the station. Ellie rushed Henry to the medical ward, letting their doctors care for him.   
…  
"What if he doesn't make it, Right!?" "Reg-"   
"It's all my fault!" "Reg.."   
"Henry's been a great leader for the Toppats and this is how I repay him!?" "REGINALD!"   
He paused, Right's hands holding both of his cheeks. "Listen to me. This ain't yer fault. You weren't the one who pushed 'im. It was the warden who did this to Henry. So don't blame yourself Reg, alright?" Reginald took a deep breath. "Alright." Right wrapped his arms around Reginald as they stood, swaying side to side. "Heh. What would I do without you, Right?" Reginald whispered into his shoulder. "Not sure, but I don't wanna live out 'ere without you either." Right responded quietly, having a sense of peace with Reginald in his arms again.  
...  
"... Did I miss something?"

"Burt!"

To be continued…


	5. His Translator Part 5

Boss fell down a cliff? Does he even have a chance to survive that? Burt thought after being filled in on the story. He could only imagine how painful that was for Henry. Burt sat alongside Reginald, RHM, and Ellie as they waited outside the medical ward. It had been several hours, and they still hadn't heard anything about his condition yet.  
They waited, anticipating how bad the damage was until finally a doctor emerged with an explanation. Ellie immediately asked "Is Henry okay? Can we see him?" "You may. Come with me, I will explain his condition." They all awkwardly shuffled into the room to see Henry. To everyone's relief, he was alive, although he had clearly seen better days.

"The chief has sustained a number of injuries, so I'll start with the lesser ones then move up to the more severe ones, alright?"  
Everyone nodded.  
"To start off, he's heavily bruised, that will heal with time. He has some gashes that we have stitched up, he will recover from those as well. He has a concussion that we will be monitoring, and finally… "  
The doctor took a deep breath before she walked to her desk to pick up a small stack of papers, presenting them to the group. Upon closer inspection, it was clear they were x-rays.  
"As you can see on these x-ray photos, his spine had broken. We couldn't fix it, so we had to.. Replace it using cybernetics. Much like we did with you, Right. So, overall, Henry Stickmin will make a full recovery. He's lucky you brought him here when you did, he probably wouldn't have made it if you brought him in any later."  
Holy sh*t. We could've lost him just like that? Burt thought, he looked at Henry. His bruised, beaten face. Clearly some of those marks weren't from the fall. Who would go so far against one man? Burt's heart sank slightly. He thought about the scars Henry showed him. Looks like you'll be adding some scars to that list boss. Burt inquired internally. 

If this had happened a year ago, Burt wouldn't have cared that much, but he was getting to know Henry. He cared what happened to him. He wanted to talk to him. He wanted to see him. He just wanted to spend time with Henry and get to know him more. Burt's train of thought was interrupted by Ellie's voice.  
"Poor Henry… I hope he'll adjust well to his metal spine..." Ellie's voice was laced with a mix of pity and awkwardness.  
"We should find a way to thank him for his help!" Reginald remarked, RHM hummed in agreement.  
"Maybe we should by giving him a "get well soon" cake." Ellie suggested.  
Burt paid her little mind as he walked to the side of Henry's bed, observing the unconscious man. It felt weird seeing him like this, his usually silly and welcoming demeanor was absent. He just looked so tired and hurt. Then suddenly, he began to stir, a groan of pain escaping his throat. Burt's eyes widened slightly, a bit of excitement bubbling in his chest. Henry blinked his eyes open. "Hey boss, good to see you're awake. How are you feeling?" Burt asked quietly, he was sure to keep his tone gentle not wanting to overwhelm the pained man. Henry remained quiet as he made eye contact with Burt through half closed eyes. Ellie and the others turned towards Henry's direction after hearing Burt speak. Ellie walked to Henry's other side, eager to talk to him. "I'd give you a hug if your body wasn't riddled with injuries." Ellie semi jokingly declared. "Henry! Goodness, you have us quite a scare!" Reginald remarked, a mix of excitement and nerves in his voice. " 'Ello Henry. 'Ow are you feeling?" Right's voice interjected, a serious tone prominent in his words. Henry drowsy looked around, he seemed to notice they were there but he wasn't responding. He seemed out of it like he could see them but their words weren't getting through to him. It made sense, he did have a concussion after all, not to mention he also just had surgery. Burt decided to try another approach, sign language. Burt slowly waved his hand in front of Henry's face, gaining his attention. Burt signed slowly, keeping the messages simple as to not overwhelm Henry. 'How are you?' Burt asked, not sure if Henry could really understand him at the moment. To his surprise, Henry signed back. Albeit slowly, 'Hurts' Henry replied. 'I bet it did' Burt commented.  
"What's he saying?" Ellie asked. "He's just saying he's in pain. I'll translate as we talk so you guys can follow." Burt replied.  
'We were worried about you' Burt mentioned, speaking out loud while he and Henry conversed in sign. 'Can't feel inside back' Henry signed. "They had to remove your spine." Henry immediately had a look of panic, quickly signing 'They stole my bones!?' "Your spine was broken, they gave you a new one." Burt said in attempts to calm Henry, realizing that Henry was probably still slightly loopy from pain meds. "Boss, calm down. They gave you a new spine. You will be fine."  
'So they didn't steal my skeleton?'  
"No boss, they didn't steal your skeleton."  
'Ok good. I like my skeleton.'  
Burt and the others chuckled.  
"Skeletons are good to have." Burt replied, deciding to humor Henry a bit.  
The group continued to spend time with Henry until he fell asleep again.  
The group finally left to let Henry rest, parting ways. Ellie took charge while Henry recovered. Reginald and Right decided to enjoy being reunited without interruption, and Burt went to get some work done. They would all visit Henry again the next day, hopefully by then he'd be less loopy.

To be continued...


	6. His Translator Part 6

Ellie was the first to visit Henry when she had time. She couldn't stay long since she had to take charge of the clan while Henry recovered. Reginald visited here and there, occasionally with Right. Burt and Ellie visited the most often. As time went on, Henry began to recover from his bruises and concussion, finally being able to stay conscious for more than an hour. 

The doctor entered Henry's hospital room.

"Good morning, Mr. Stickmin. You seem to be feeling well." Henry gave them a thumbs up. Sure he wasn't at 100% yet, but he was getting better. "I will be letting you out today but take it easy, alright? You're still haven't fully recovered, I wouldn't recommend going on heists or other missions in your condition. Understand?" Henry nodded

"I'd like to have someone escort you to your quarters, you'll need time to adjust to your new spine." Suddenly there was a gentle knock on the door before it opened, revealing Reginald and Right. "Hello, we're here to see Henry? Ellie couldn't make it today-Oh! Henry, you're already up."

Reginald happily noted, seeing Henry sitting up in his hospital bed. "Good timing you two, I was actually about to contact someone to help escort Mr.Stickmin to his residence. Are you willing to do so?" The doctor asked, gesturing towards Henry. 

"Oh! Yes, of course. We can do that." Reginald replied, Right hummed in agreement. "Excellent, just let me finish a few things here and you'll be free to go Mr. Stickmin." 

Henry smiled and gave them a thumbs up.

…

Right wouldn't say he was particularly close to Henry. Sure, he didn't hate him like he used to, and they got along decently, but he wouldn't say the two of them were really friends. With all of that in mind, however, he really felt for Henry. Helping Henry to his room showed that he was still quite far from a full recovery. Despite Henry's attempts to smile and lighten the mood, his exhaustion and pain was clear. Henry trembled and stumbled quite a bit, it reminded Right of when he struggled with his cybernetic enhancements. What it was like trying to get used to not being able to feel some parts of his body while the rest of his body ached. Right knew how that felt all too well. There were a few times where Henry nearly collapsed, which led to Right and Reginald walking by both of Henry's sides so that they could catch him if he fell.

When the three of them got to Henry's room, Henry immediately sat on the edge of his bed, huffing as he did so, Right leaned against the wall as Reginald stood next to him. "It's good to see you're doing better." Reginald commented, giving Henry a small smile. Henry returned the smile. Yes, he was tired and his painkillers for the day hadn't kicked in yet, but he was just happy to be out of the medical ward.

Reginald walked towards Henry, taking a seat next to him. "Listen, Henry. I wanted to thank you for helping save me. I really appreciate it." Henry gave him a side hug, his usual friendly demeanor returning. Usually Reginald wasn't the biggest fan of Henry's random hugs, since they usually happen with little to no warning, but just this once… he returned the hug. It was nice to see him doing better. 

Reginald and Right continued to talk to Henry. Discussing various heists that they pulled, how Ellie was handling being the chief in Henry's place, how Burt and other Toppat members were doing, as well as various other things. 

"Glad things are good. Can't wait to work with everyone again." Henry wrasped, again struggling with his voice. Reginald and Right cringed slightly, Henry's voice sounded worse than usual. It sounded like he was in agony. "I'm calling Burt." Right declared, he was not having that. "Thank you." Henry uttered, grateful that he could sign and avoid hurting his throat.

Burt sat at his computer, finishing up some coordination work. It wasn't anything eventful to him. Suddenly, there was a voice speaking to him through his headphones. " 'Ello Burt. Got a moment? The chief needs 'is translator 'ere. We're in the chief's headquarters." 

Burt smiled slightly.

"Yeah, I'll be there." 

…

Burt walked in, immediately noticing Henry on his bed, laying on his stomach. His new spine was exposed. Sure, Burt knew it was there, but it was the first time he had really seen it. Every time he visited Henry in the medical ward, Henry was laying on his back.

Burt waved, greeting Henry and the others. He moved to sit next to Henry, waiting for Henry to sign something.

'Thank you for coming Burt' 

"No problem boss" Burt could only imagine how difficult it would be for Henry to talk while he was in this condition.

The group talked for a while, eventually Reginald and Right took off, leaving Henry and Burt alone.

Burt found himself glancing at Henry's back. It honestly hurt his heart to see Henry like this. Who did Henry piss off so much that they'd go so far? Burt could see Henry's various scars (wasn't hard considering Henry wasn't wearing a shirt at the moment), it was obvious that Henry had sustained a cruel beating before falling down that cliff. Why didn't the people at the wall just shoot him? They had the means to do so and it would've been easier for them. No, someone at the Wall had a score to settle. This was personal. Someone was definitely holding a grudge. Whoever it was wanted him to suffer. To Burt, it was kind of disturbing. Sure, the Toppats have killed people before, but at least they usually tried to make it quick. Even Right, as brutal as he was, usually acted swiftly (there were exceptions from time to time).

Henry eventually noticed Burt’s stares, to be honest, it wasn’t really bothering him. He had shown Burt some of his other scars, why stop now? Clearly he was adding this one to that long list of injuries. ‘You don’t have to keep glancing away Burt. If you want to look at my spine, just do so.’ Henry signed, snapping Burt out of his train of thought. “Sorry boss, could you sign that again?” Burt asked, thanks to him staring at other things, he didn’t see the full message Henry conveyed. ‘I just said I won’t mind if you want to check out my new spine. If you want to look at it, go ahead. You don’t have to feel bad or anything.’ Henry repeated, this time Burt caught it. “Well, if you’re okay with it.” Burt took a better look at it, examining the details. It protruded out of Henry’s skin, providing a huge contrast to his body. The skin around it was red and pink, it had clearly been cauterized, stitches definitely wouldn’t have been able to hold it all together. It reached all the way up to the back of his head. 

“Jeez, they really did replace the entire thing, didn’t they?” Burt remarked, not expecting much of a response. Henry raised his hands to sign. ‘They replaced my ribs too, actually. They said that my old ones wouldn’t be able to heal if they just attached them to my new spine.’ That definitely surprised Burt, but it did make sense. Why reattach something that’s bound to break when you can replace it with something more stable and spare yourself the trouble? “Good call.” Burt commented, Henry nodded, as much as his body was hurting at the moment, he knew it was worth it. Henry felt a sensation of relief being in the space station with Burt and the other Toppats. To be honest, he wasn’t sure he was going to make it out alive. He couldn’t remember everything that happened that day when they went to save Reginald, but the parts he did remember scared him. Henry shook his head, he didn’t want to think about that. He was there with Burt, he could focus on that instead. There were still things they didn’t know about each other, might as well learn more about him while they were both there. 

‘Burt, can I ask you something?’ Henry signed. “Sure boss, what’s up?” 'Why did you join the Toppats? I'm curious.' Henry queried, awaiting Burt's response. Burt stayed quiet for a bit, tugging at his shirt collar awkwardly. "I uh.. I'm not sure if I.. Really want to get into that right now. It's kinda personal." Henry gave a sympathetic smile, and pat Burt on the back. "Thanks boss." Burt appreciated his boss's kind nature. It took a while to get used to, but he welcomed it. Henry sat up next to Burt and gave him a quick, gentle, hug before he decided to lie back down. Yeah… Burt still needed more time to get used to Henry's random acts of affection. " Err, thanks, boss." Pink dusted Burt's cheeks, how many times was Henry going to make him blush like this? Why was Henry always so affectionate with him? Was this normal? Nah.. Nothing was normal when Henry was involved, but Burt still wondered about Henry's behavior. He turned towards Henry, tempted to talk about his thoughts when he realized… Henry was asleep. "Huh.. Guess you're really tired today, huh boss?" Burt whispered, not expecting Henry to respond. Burt grabbed a pillow and gently placed it under Henry's head doing his best not to wake him up. Burt then grabbed the blanket, carefully wrapping it around Henry. He lightly chuckled at the fact that Henry looked like a blanket burrito. Henry's soft snores were the only thing that could be heard in the room. Burt laid back on the bed, resting his hands under his head. He stared up at the ceiling, just enjoying the peace and quiet. Just.. Relaxing.. Listening to nothing but the sounds of Henry's snores and his own breathing. He realised how tired he felt. Maybe he could rest his eyes, just for a minute… Burt sighed, sleep taking over him.

To be continued...


	7. His Translator Part 7

Burt's eyes fluttered open as he was brought out of sleep. He was always a light sleeper, small sounds or movement woke him easily. Burt sighed, staring at the ceiling. The room was silent until...  
"Sss!" The sound of someone's sharp intake of breath through their teeth caught Burt's attention. He sat up and looked at Henry, assuming the sound came from him. Henry was clutching the blankets so tightly his knuckles turned pale. His body was really tense, yet he was still sleeping. It was then it dawned on Burt.. Henry was having a nightmare. Burt wondered what Henry could be dreaming about that would evoke this kind of response. Burt observed Henry for a few more seconds before he decided to wake him up. 

He reached out, gently placing his hand on Henry's back ( he made sure not to touch his spine ), before calling out to him. "Boss… Hey… wake up… Boss!" Burt whisper-yelled, while gently shaking Henry. Henry violently jolted awake, gasping as he did so. His spastic movement startled Burt. Henry sat up, looking around the room frantically before he moved his hands up to his chest. It was as if he was checking to see if he was intact. "Boss?" Henry's head snapped towards Burt's direction. Henry's expression was filled with panic as they made eye contact. "... Burt…?" Henry asked, his voice quiet and raspy. "Yeah boss, it's me." Henry let out a breath of relief. Henry laid back down, avoiding eye contact. He just stared off into space, as if he were contemplating what just happened. “You alright boss?” Burt asked, his voice laced with care. 

"... Nightmare." Henry whispered, his breathing uneven. He sounded scared. Burt laid down next to Henry, resting his hand on Henry's back. "Do you want to talk about it?" Burt asked, not sure how else to help. Henry remained quiet for a bit, before he nodded. "Don't tell anyone…"   
"I won't boss, don't worry." 

Henry nodded again; sitting up a second time, Burt did the same. Henry decided to sign, as it was more comfortable for him.   
'I was at the wall, and I called Reginald and the other Toppats for help. So I went to the cafeteria and launched myself towards the airship. I couldn't make the jump, but just before I fell, Reginald caught me. I was relieved, I thought he saved me… but he didn't. He betrayed me, he threw me into the ocean… it was cold… and dark.'   
"What happened next?"   
'I saw a woman, she saved me, gave me cybernetic enhancements, like Right's. I used them to get to the Toppats…' Henry paused, his hands trembled before he continued. 'I killed Right, and Reginald, I crashed the airship. Then I woke up.'  
Burt looked up at Henry's face… was he crying? Sure enough, as if on cue, a few tears slid down his cheeks.  
"Boss?"  
Henry buried his face in his hands. Sobs shook Henry's body. "I don't know what scares me more, the idea of being betrayed, or the idea of me bringing so many people down with me." Henry continued to cry. Burt's heart hurt at the sight, but it was the next thing Henry said that really made his heart throb.  
"I care about the Toppats. I-I don't want to hurt any of you. I love you guys."   
Burt wasn't the most emotionally intelligent person out there, but he wanted to help. He had to.  
"Boss, you haven't hurt us."  
"I hurt Right." Henry replied weakly.  
Burt paused; that was true, but there was surely more to it than that. "I'm pretty sure that if you didn't, he would've killed you. This is Right we're talking about."  
"Still feel bad… I went so far…" Henry's voice continued to be hoarse and broken.

Burt was at a loss for words. He wasn't used to seeing Henry like this. This was Henry Stickmin; the man who broke out of prison, stole the Tunisian Diamond, Overthrew the previous Toppat leaders, escaped the Wall, and saved the Toppats from the government. Yet the idea of betrayal and harming the Toppat Clan brought him to tears. Burt had to say he admired Henry's deeply rooted dedication to the clan. Sh*t. How was he supposed to comfort him? Burt sat there, contemplating the best course of action before deciding to do what Henry would do to comfort someone else; give him a hug. Burt wrapped his arms around Henry. He wasn’t usually this affectionate, he simply wasn’t accustomed to it, but Henry needed this. Henry returned the hug, as Burt expected he would. Eventually Henry’s cries eased a bit, reduced to occasional sniffles and sobs.

“... Thank you…”  
“You would’ve done the same for me.”


	8. His Translator Part 8

Henry had eventually calmed down. Pulling away from the hug, Henry uttered another "Thank you" as he started to regain his composer. Burt spoke up "It's no problem boss, it seems like that nightmare really bothered you." Henry decided to switch back to sign, since he was no longer trembling. 'I have nightmares often, this is nothing new, but it was nice to actually get some comfort for once.' Henry let out a dry chuckle. 'Funny how a dream can scare someone so much.' 

Burt's curiosity piqued yet again. How many times had Henry woken up in the middle of the night, paranoid that his own clan would betray him? How many times had he shed tears out of guilt from his battle with Right? Burt had never seen Henry break down up until that night. How many other secrets did his boss have?

Henry stood up, trembling slightly, but not as severely as before. Henry put on a simple button-up shirt and his signature Toppat. "Err  
.. Boss? Don't you think you should rest a bit more?" Henry turned towards Burt signing ' I've barely done anything for the past two months. Even if I can't go on missions or heists, I can do something.' Burt probably shouldn't have been surprised that Henry would want to work with the clan again. After all, Henry dedicated a lot of time and energy to it.   
Ellie was a good leader, but Burt would be lying if he said he didn't miss Henry. The way Henry approached every mission with enthusiasm, the silliness of Henry's plans, the way he checked in with the Toppat Clan members to see how their day was going, the way Henry would come to Burt's office and bring him a muffin and talk to him. He actually missed going to Henry's Toppat meetings as his translator. He even missed Henry's random hugs. All that aside, Burt knew that Henry was far from a full recovery. He knew that Henry shouldn't push himself. However, he also knew that Henry was stubborn and often lacked a sense of self preservation. "I'll go with you. You'll need your translator, right?" Burt asked, hoping Henry would accept his offer.  
Henry smiled, and gave Burt a thumbs up. 

The two of them wandered the halls of the space station, Henry stayed close to the walls of the station almost the entire time probably for support. They conversed with the other Toppats as they walked around. Turns out a lot of them were worried for Henry, practically swarming him with "What happened?" Or "Where have you been?" Heck, a few of them actually gave him hugs, apparently Henry's friendly demeanor was spreading. After a while, Henry and Burt met up with Right, Reginald, and Ellie for lunch/dinner (Henry hadn't eaten much for the day, so it was kinda both for him).  
"It's good to have you back, Henry, not gonna lie, things felt too calm and awkward without you." Ellie chuckled, Right then added "Things 'round here just ain't the same without yer silliness, anklebiter."   
Burt had to hold back a chuckle at the realization that Right apparently calls his boss "anklebiter".   
"Yes, we all missed you Henry, but might I ask: are you sure that you are able to work again? You still haven't fully recovered from.. Well.. You know.." Reginald trailed off seemingly nervous about bringing up their journey to the Wall. Henry signed a response, Burt speaking for him.  
"He says that he can't go on heists but he still wants to work on the station."   
"I see… Well, if you're sure." Reginald replied, gesturing towards Henry. Henry nodded and gave him a smile. Burt cracked the slightest of smiles, happy to see Henry's enthusiasm returning. The group continued to talk while they waited for the Toppat chefs to finish preparing their food. When it arrived, everyone took a break from the conversation to enjoy the food. 

Henry got some sort of pasta with chicken and he ate it like it was the best thing he had ever eaten. He ate fast; he wasn't messy or anything, but his pace was noticeable. Henry didn't really care that much though, he was just happy that he could finally really eat something. The medical staff did starve him per say, but he didn't eat as much as he should have. He was just so tired all the time. The others at the table definitely noticed, but decided not to say anything. They saw how tired he was, they all noticed Henry's thinning figure. His bruises had been fading, the most prominent bruises, Burt noticed, were suspiciously hand-shaped and stretched all the way around his neck. 

Dear God, the more Burt observed Henry's injuries, the more he realized how brutal they were. Burt felt a slight pang in his heart the more he thought about it. Burt took a bite of his muffin, continuing his train of thought. What kind of government complex has guards strangling people as opposed to just shooting them? Why? Why try to bludgeon someone to death like this? He didn't understand it. It was illogical and inefficient in the context of a prison. At least from the perspective of a guard. Why go so far?   
Burt suddenly tensed. Boss didn't "fall" down that cliff, did he? Burt glanced at Henry again. Someone pushed you, didn't they?   
He thought about how Henry practically clung to the walls when they were walking around earlier. You were scared that someone was going to push you over the railing, weren't you? Burt's chest tightened as he grew more disturbed by the idea.   
"Burt?" Henry asked, snapping Burt out of his train of thought. "Huh?"   
'You ok?' Henry signed.   
Crap. How long has he been staring at his boss while not saying anything? He probably seemed really creepy. Damn it Burt, focus! Boss is talking to you! Burt mentally scolded himself.  
"Yeah boss, I'm fine. Just zoned out for a bit." Burt was grateful for the fact that he was good at keeping his stone faced demeanor, otherwise everyone in the room would know how flustered he felt at the moment. Henry gave Burt a smile, then wrapped one of his arms around him, pulling him into a side-hug.   
"It's ok. We all do that sometimes." Henry quietly spoke, almost whispering. Does he solve all his problems with hugs? He's so cuddly, like a puppy… heh.. Cute. Burt couldn't help but smile a little. Henry's hugs were always warm and welcoming.

"So Henry." Ellie started. "While you were gone, we discovered a new vault filled with priceless jewels, we were hoping that you could help draw up a plan for a heist there?" Ellie asked, nudging Henry with her elbow. Henry's face in that moment was priceless, without using verbal or sign language, it was clear that his answer was a "Hell yes". The Toppat King was making a comeback, slowly but surely, and Burt was happy to be beside him again.


	9. His Translator Part 9

Henry had just finished assigning tasks to different groups of Toppats for the day. He stood in his office alone, looking out at the infinite stars and space through the large window in front of him. He was just thinking. A pang of guilt in his chest. So this is what getting cybernetic enhancements is like. I put Right through this. Henry looked at the intercom microphone. "Hmm"

…

Right walked towards Henry's office, slightly confused and admittedly a little nervous. Why would Henry want to talk to him alone? Sure, they didn't really hate each other (rather, Right didn't hate Henry anymore, and he was pretty sure Henry never truly hated him), but he wouldn't say they were close either. It was awkward when they were alone, so this was pretty odd. He'll probably have Burt there Right thought. He has made communication easier for Henry. That thought made Right feel a bit more at ease.   
When Right reached Henry's office he noticed that Burt was, in fact, not there. So it really was just the two of them. Henry turned around and waved at Right. "Hi." Henry's usual quiet and slightly raspy voice greeted, Right hummed in response. "You wanted to talk?" Right asked, walking to stand next to Henry. Henry nodded, the two of them facing towards the giant window. "Are we waiting for Burt to get 'ere?"   
"No, this is a private conversation." Henry replied. "Well… What do you want to talk about?" Right asked. "I wanted to say something I should have said a long time ago, Right. Remember when we first met?" Henry asked. " 'Course I do, it's hard not to."   
Right bluntly replied. "I just wanted to say, I'm sorry. You didn't deserve that. I went way too far." Henry paused trying to quickly recover from his pained throat. "I know it's late, but I wanna make it up to you." Henry continued, awaiting Right's response. "Hmm." Right hummed, an awkward silence filled the room for a few moments before it was finally broken by Right's voice again. "I'd say we're already even as is. You gave up your own spine to 'elp me get Reg out of the Wall. That's enough for me." Henry and Right made eye contact, and exchanged small smiles, before hazing at infinite space through the window again. "Speakin' of the Wall, mind if I ask what happened? You seemed to 'ave control of the situation before we all split up. What went wrong?" That very question had plagued his mind for far too long. Henry appeared to be thinking a bit hard, as if he were trying to remember what happened.  
"I drove away… cars chased me… I shot their tires, the warden caught up to me… I crashed. I got into a fight with him, he strangled me, and punched me… I was on the ground, it was cold. I tried to fight back as best as I could but he was strong. I remember he pulled me off the ground and shoved me back… I remember... falling…"   
Henry started coughing, and turned away from Right, his throat pained from his speech. "Is that all you remember?" Right asked, Henry nodded. "Hmm." Right hummed, waiting for Henry's coughing to die down, when it did so, Right spoke up again.   
"You want to know something?"   
"Huh?"   
"While you were getting treated in the med bay, Reg was freakin' out, he was crying about 'ow he got you killed. He was really worried about you." Right commented. Henry turned to face Right again. "Really?" Henry asked. "He sure was, anklebiter." Henry and Right chuckled. When suddenly another voice intervened through Henry's walkie talkie. *beep* "Hey boss? Could you come by the brig when you have the time? One of the new prisoners is claiming to know you?" *beep* Sven voice questioned. Henry raised his own walkie talkie *beep* "Yeah, I'll be there soon." *beep* "Duty calls." Right said, half jokingly. Henry chuckled as the two of them left his office. They were about to part ways when Right spoke again. "I appreciated the apology, by the way." Right gave Henry a small smile, then continued to walk away. Henry, too, smiled before focusing on the task at hand.

Time to go see this prisoner who apparently "knows me". I should bring Burt, I'm tired of talking.


	10. His Translator Part 10

Henry and Burt walked to the brig together. When the brig's metal door opened, the first thing they saw was Reginald angrily talking to a prisoner through one of the cell windows and Sven standing awkwardly behind him. "I didn't want to believe it when I was told you were here. Yet we meet again." Reginald stated in an aggravated tone. Henry and Burt couldn't see who he was talking to. Sven noticed the two of them and immediately spoke up, interrupting Reginald. "Ah! Chief! You're here! This is the guy claiming to know you." Reginald, upon hearing this, moved back from the window, allowing Henry to see the prisoner. Burt stood next to him, ready to Translate his sign. 

"Hey son, how have you been?" Terrence Suave. Henry knew that voice anywhere, even though he hadn't heard it in a while. Henry waved awkwardly. " 'Son'? " Reginald repeated under his breath. Burt shrugged it off, it was a little surprising, but it kinda made sense. Terrence glanced at Burt, "Who's your friend, Henry?" He asked. "I'm Burt, I'm the head of communications. I'm also Henry's translator since I know sign language." He replied bluntly. "Oh, well that's convenient. I don't know sign language." Terrence commented. Burt raised an eyebrow. "You have a son who's a selective mute and you never learned sign language?" Burt questioned. "Eh. Never got around to it, ya know? Besides, we had writing materials that he could use." Terrence replied, dismissing Burt. "Anyway, enough of that. Henry my boy! We haven't talked in a while, how's it feel being the leader of the Toppats?"   
Henry remained silent, he didn't even lift his hands to sign. He just stared at his father, it was awkward, to say the least. It was hard to read his emotions at that moment. Was he mad? Or just surprised? "Right, good talk. Listen kiddo, could ya tell these hooligans to let me out? It's getting pretty boring in this little prison cell." Terrence's tone didn't sound quite like a request as much as it did a command. Henry eventually raised his hands to sign. Burt's eyes followed Henry's hand movements before relaying the message. "He's asking why you're here." Burt told Terrence, who just shrugged and said "I guess the Toppats didn't like me getting in the way of their heist and they brought me here."   
"Even when you're not a part of the clan you still manage to cause us trouble." Reginald voiced, annoyance clear in his tone. "Oh shut up Reggie, I'm trying to talk to my son. This doesn't concern you." Terrence snapped. "Well, considering the fact that Henry's the chief now, a far better one than you ever were, I think it is my business. Unless HE says otherwise." Reginald replied sharply. Henry quickly signed. "He says you can stay." Burt stated. "Thank you" Reginald replied. Terrence rolled his eyes, then spoke again. "Seriously though Henry, I haven't heard from you in such a long time. You ignoring me or something? Haha"   
"Yes." Henry replied. His voice laced with its usual hoarseness. Silence.  
"Wow son. Your voice is uh…" Terrence trailed off, Henry gave him a glare. It was the kind of look that said "you know what you've done". It was stern, angry. It was kinda weird to see Henry like that, at least in Burt's opinion. Terrence on the other hand had a look of guilt. He sighed, then spoke up again. "I know… I'm sorry, Henry." Burt, Reginald, and Sven exchanged looks, each one indicating an awkward "I don't know what's happening either" feeling.   
"Still mad, huh Henry?" Terrence asked. Henry signed, Burt translating it as he went along. "He's saying: Of course I am! Who wouldn't be? My voice is practically ruined thanks to your carelessness. I can't talk for long periods of time anymore. Not to mention, you couldn't even be bothered to learn sign language for my sake. I'll never sound the same again thanks to this!" Henry gestured to the scar on his neck before continuing (with Burt's help). "Was it really that hard to care? To just try and take precautions?" Another pause. Terrence eventually replied. "I never meant to hurt you, I hope you know that."   
Henry signed, his translator helping him once again. "I know, but did you ever take the steps to make sure you wouldn't?" Terrence's head hung in shame. "Not as much as I should have."   
Silence. Awkward, tense, silence. Burt looked up at Henry's face. He looked so… hurt. Burt put his arm around Henry, after all, that was something his boss usually did to comfort others, maybe he'd appreciate it. "Boss?" Burt asked, trying to elicit a response from Henry. Henry spoke up, despite his hurting throat. He just wanted to be done with this. "I… think we're done here." He turned to Reginald and Sven. "Send him to Earth." Henry started walking towards the brig's exit door Burt following behind him, ready to leave. "Son wait!" Terrence yelled, Henry paused but didn't turn around. "You know I love you, right? I know I'm not a very responsible person, but I love you, kiddo. Just, remember that. Okay?" Henry took a deep breath and replied: "I love you too. But I can't count on you." He then walked out.   
...  
Henry speed walked to his office with Burt right behind him. The two of them entered Henry's office and closed the doors. Henry returned to using sign.  
'Sorry you had to be involved in that.'   
"It's fine boss, I'm… I'm happy to help." Burt tried to give a friendly smile, but it ended up being more awkward than anything else. "So, uh, how are you feeling? After… all that." Burt asked, he really wished he was better at comforting people. 'I'm ok. Just aggravated.' Upon seeing that, Burt realized something. "Wait. Boss, didn't you tell me that your larynx was damaged from a surgical operation gone wrong? What did you mean back there when you said his carelessness nearly ruined your voice?" Burt questioned, something was definitely missing in that story. 'Both are true. I just didn't tell you the full story. The only other person I've told the full story to is Ellie.' Henry replied. Burt's curiosity definitely peaked there. "I've got time. If you wanna talk about it." Burt inquired, pulling up a chair. Henry thought about it for a moment. Burt was a good listener when he wanted to be, and if he didn't want to listen he wouldn't have offered in the first place. Yeah, he trusted Burt.  
'When I was 12 my dad took me out to our backyard for shooting practice, and at some point he was standing next to me and twirling his revolver on his finger. The safety wasn't on and he accidentally shot me. He took me to the hospital and they managed to remove the bullet but they accidentally damaged my larynx. He didn't mean to hurt me. I know he didn't, but there were several times when I nearly died because he didn't take precautions. I guess I don't have the right to complain though. I'm pretty reckless too. Maybe it's wrong of me to hold a grudge, since I'm not much better, but it still hurts.' Burt felt a little pang in his heart. Sure Henry was reckless, but he was a good boss. He had clear goals and dedication, he didn't just go into things blindly. Even Reginald freaking Copperbottom said he was a good leader. Burt wanted Henry to remember that. He held Henry's hand, catching his attention. "Boss, you're totally justified in being upset. What happened to you has affected you for your whole life since then. You counted on him to be responsible, and he wasn't. And sure, you're reckless, you have plenty of scars to prove it, but you have purpose. You know what you want and you do whatever you can to achieve it. You care about us, and trust me, the Toppats appreciate it. I appreciate it. I mean, that's why your spine was replaced, right? You helped us, we helped you. I'm pretty sure if the clan thought you were as bad of a leader as Terrence Suave was, you wouldn't still be the chief. Plus… I like having you as a boss. I think you're pretty great." Burt's cheeks turned a bit pink as he finished talking. He wasn't emotional with many people, but he was willing to be sincere with Henry. Henry was sincere with him, vulnerable around him, he trusted him, and Burt liked being there for Henry. There was this pleasant, warm feeling Burt got when Henry was around him. He wasn't 100% sure what it was exactly. Platonic? Romantic? He didn't know, but regardless of what the specifics were, he knew that he cared. For once, he cared. 

Henry hugged Burt, which certainly did not make the blush on Burt's face any less prominent. Eventually Henry pulled away. "Feeling any better?" Burt asked. Henry smiled and gave a thumbs up. "Ok good." Burt replied. There was a slight pause.  
'Want to go get some muffins?' Henry signed, Burt chuckled. "Sounds good, Boss."

To be continued...


	11. His Translator Part 11

(This is mostly a fluffy chapter, not much plot development. Enjoy Burt's pinning)

Henry and Burt ate together in the station's cafeteria, just to unwind and enjoy themselves. Henry especially wanted to just enjoy himself for a bit, what with everything that had transpired earlier. Although things had been stressful, he had to admit he was feeling better. Talking to Burt just.. Helped him. Burt made him feel comfortable and secure. He made communication more comfortable for Henry. Burt was there for Henry to during his recovery. He comforted Henry multiple times. Henry appreciated everything Burt had done for him.   
'Hey.' Henry signed. "Yeah boss?" Burt asked, before taking another bite of his muffin. 'I wanted to say thank you for what you've done for me. You've made my life a lot easier, I appreciate it. Just so you know, if you ever need help or someone to talk to, you can come to me as well.'   
Henry reached across the table and held Burt's hand, giving him a smile.  
"Thanks boss. That's uh- good to know." Burt stuttered slightly, his cheeks slightly pink. Henry's random bits of affection were nothing new to Burt, but every time they happened, Burt felt something. It was a foreign sensation to Burt, but still pleasant. Each time Henry hugged him or held his hand, he felt welcomed. And each time Henry pulled away, Burt kind of missed it (of course, he never told Henry that). 

Now that Burt thought about it, he enjoyed a lot of things about Henry. He looked forward to Henry's visits to his office. He liked being the one to translate Henry's sign language. He just liked Henry; his reckless yet determined attitude, his silly antics, his smile, his scars, and his openness around Burt. He wished that he was more open like Henry, but he just wasn't. He wasn't an expressive person. He internalized pretty much everything, that was just his nature, yet somehow… Henry brought out the emotions that Burt had hidden, at least some of them. 

"So uh… Are you gonna go on any heists soon? It's been a long time since you've actually gone on one. With the whole spine thing and whatnot." Burt asked, changing the subject. Henry let go of Burt's hand so he could sign a response. 'Actually, I'm planning on going on a heist next week! Can't wait!' Burt smiled slightly, Henry's excitement was adorable. Like a puppy being given a treat. "I'm glad you're excited, but are you sure you'll be alright?" Burt asked, nobody wanted a repeat of last time. 'Yeah, I'll be ok. Ellie insisted on going with me, so I won't be alone.' Henry replied with a smile. 'I'll be sure to bring back a souvenir for you! Your birthstone is topaz, right?' Burt's cheeks turned ever so slightly pink, his boss had remembered his birthday. "Uh, yeah it is. I'm surprised you remember that…" No one else does… Burt thought. 'I've been trying to remember people's birthdays, but there's a lot of us. I at least want to remember the birthdays of the people I spend a lot of time with. I'm glad I got your birth month right.' Henry beamed proudly and Burt looked away bashfully, fidgeting with the sleeve of his sweater. "Yeah… I see what you mean… Thank you." Burt's nervous demeanor caused Henry to tilt his head to the side, an expression of mild concern etched its way onto his features. Henry took a gentle hold of Burt's hand, his grip was gentle, and his palm was slightly calloused. "You..okay Burt?" Henry asked in his hushed, slightly scratchy voice. "Huh? Oh! Yeah, I-uh just… I'm just not used to people… getting me birthday gifts and whatnot. Just never really took part in it much. Well, I guess except for you, boss." Burt stammered, his leader's presence making him comfortable and nervous somehow. Henry's grip on Burt's hand tightened slightly. He leaned forward over the table, slightly. "Burt.. You don't have to keep calling me boss, just Henry is fine." Henry whispered, he had talked more than preferred that day, so he was trying to avoid putting more strain on his throat. That being said, it didn't help Burt's nerves about his maybe-crush on his boss when he was leaning over a table whispering about how they don't have to be so formal. Burt's heart started beating harder, his cheeks felt warm, is this what having a crush is like? Switching between nervous and comfortable? Over and over again, back and forth, just feeling confused and yet… happy? Burt has never really felt like this before. This… giddy around someone. His stomach tied itself up into knots. Burt made eye contact with his boss… have Henry's eyes always been that blue? 

"Burt?" Crap. He got lost in thought while Henry was talking to him again. "Uh! Yeah bo- er, Henry. I was just thinking about something." Burt's cheeks continued to burn. Was that normal? Maybe, he wasn't sure. "Heh. It's gonna take some time for me to get used to calling you by your name." He stated bashfully. Henry pulled his hand away so he could sign again. 'Take your time.' Henry's sweet smile had once again made Burt's chest feel fuzzy. 

"Henry!" A voice interjected. Henry and Burt turned towards the source of the voice, revealing Ellie. "We still need to finalize the plan for next week's heist, aren't you coming?" Henry nodded, standing up, Burt followed. As the three walked together, Henry held Burt's hand. Burt gripped Henry's hand in return, the pinkness in his cheeks remained. Just then, Burt realized something. 

Shit. He does like Henry. He's in love with his boss. 

To be continued...


	12. His Translator Part 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mostly fluff in this one

Burt sat at his desk, typing away. Checking the solar panels, engines, and various programs on the station. Henry was out on a heist for the first time since the incident at the Wall. Burt's chest tightened when he thought about it. What if Henry got hurt again? The thought unsettled Burt. The image of Henry hooked up to life support, bruised and beaten, crept its way into Burt's mind, making his stomach tie itself into knots. 

Breathe. He needed to take a breath, and just calm down. This mission wasn't related to the Wall, Henry would be fine. He'd be okay. Burt shook his head. When had he become so paranoid? Henry's been on tons of heists. He'll be fine. Burt just had to wait and listen for when Henry and Ellie told him to beam them up to the station, no big deal. Burt thought about how excited Henry was to go on this heist, how his blue eyes lit up at the idea of stealing all those jewels and treasures. Henry looked so happy, it was as though all the intensity of the past few months had never happened. The way Henry smiled at Burt, the way he held Burt's hand and leaned closer to him… they were just a few inches apart. Burt's cheeks once again wore the color pink at his thoughts. He had come to terms with the fact that he had feelings for his boss, but now he didn't know what to do about his feelings. He didn't have a lot of experience with dating, it was always difficult for him. He wasn't sure how to approach the situation, if he even should at all. Would Henry want Burt the same way Burt wanted Henry? Burt heard rumors that Henry was bisexual, but he hadn't heard a confirmation from Henry about whether or not it was true. Damn it. Why did this have to be so… complicated? Was it even that complicated? All he had to do was ask, right?   
…   
No. Not yet. Soon, maybe, but he wasn't ready just yet. For the time being, he was fine with being Henry's friend.   
"Hey Burt!" Ellie's voice rang through Burt's headset. "We're ready to come back, beam us up!" Ellie instructed. "Yes ma'am." Burt replied as he followed orders. Just like that, Henry and Ellie were home. About twenty minutes after Burt beamed Ellie and Henry back to the station, he heard a knock on his door, and there stood Henry with a gift box in his hands. “Hey bo- Henry. Welcome back.” Burt corrected himself mid-sentence. He was still adjusting to calling Henry by name. Henry smiled, handing the wrapped box to him. Burt took the gift in his hands and saw a card attached that read "Happy Birthday". He remembered… 

Burt looked up at Henry once more, he was still smiling. Burt tore the wrapping off the box, feeling excited. He pulled out a Topaz crystal. His birthstone. It was carved into the shape of a top hat. It was orange, his favorite color. It was beautiful. Burt felt his chest tighten. He wasn't expecting this, but he appreciated it nonetheless. People didn't usually pay much attention to him outside of work-related boundaries. But Henry did. He always did. Henry was just so… good to him. So appreciative. Burt's vision became slightly blurry, as if he had just opened his eyes underwater.  
Wait.  
Burt lifted his hand to rub his eyes, slightly surprised when he discovered the moisture present on his face. Tears. When had he started crying? Henry cupped Burt's cheek with one hand, using the thumb on his other hand to gently wipe away the tears. Concern etched on his face. "Ah, I'm okay, Henry. I just… got emotional there. I don't usually- people don't- I'm not really… I'm not accustomed to this kind of stuff. You know? Birthday gifts and whatnot…" Burt wiped his eyes with his wrist, attempting to dry out the little drops of emotions oozing from them. Henry hugged Burt. Then whispered something very quietly in his raspy voice. "...let it out.."  
Burt felt his hands tremble, reaching his arms up to return Henry's embrace. He realized just how much he needed this. Needed him. Henry's encouragement and support made him happy. Whenever his life felt monotonous, he could look forward to Henry giving him something to enjoy at the end of the day. "Thank you… Henry." "Mhm!" Henry hummed, happy he could help Burt like Burt had many times before. After a few minutes, the two parted from the embrace. As Burt regained his composure, he held the topaz top hat, inspecting it more. It fit so well in his hand, it was about the size of a computer mouse, albeit denser since it was carved from a crystal. Burt smiled slightly. "It's beautiful Henry, I love it." Henry smiled back, excited. 'Happy Birthday Burt!' Henry signed. His goofy grin made Burt's cheeks tinge pink. With how much Henry makes him blush he might as well tattoo them pink by now. 'Since it's your birthday, why don't you take some time off and do something fun?' Henry's signed in question. "Sure. Why not?" Burt replied, placing his gift in his pocket. Burt stood up, and almost immediately Henry held his hand. 'What do you want to do?' Henry questioned, signing with his free hand. "Uh… I don't know.. What do you want to do?"   
'It's your birthday, it's up to you.'  
Burt squeezed Henry's hand.  
"Oh. Right. Uh.. I guess we could get some food and watch a movie or something. I'd like to just keep things low key." Burt replied with slight embarrassment. He just wanted to spend time with him. Henry gave a thumbs up with his free hand, and the two of them walked to Burt's room. Burt felt a little nervous when he realized that this would be the first time Henry had seen his living quarters, but it faded a bit when he thought about everything the two of them had been through together. 

Henry observed the space Burt called home. Burt's room wasn't huge or fancy, but it was comfortable. There was a tv in front of Burt's bed that was set up on its own shelf with a row of DVDs on display. The comforter on Burt's bed was a gradient of yellow, orange, and red, it reminded Henry of a sunset. There were a few comic strips taped to a wall above a desk which had what appeared to have drawing supplies on it. The nightstand next to Burt's bed had a small lamp on it. Burt's closet was in the corner, it was one of those wooden closets with two doors that folded open. Overall, it was nice. It was calm and simple with a warm atmosphere. Henry let go of Burt's hand and moved to sit on Burt's bed, "Nice room" he signed. "Thank you. I'm.. Glad you're comfortable here. Anyway, I've got a few movies here… let's see.." Burt trailed off a bit looking at the DVD cases on the shelf beneath the television screen. What kind of movies did Henry like? He wanted to pick something they'd both enjoy. Did Henry like horror movies? Burt realised he had a lot of those, maybe even too many, but hey, you like what you like. “Hey Henry, do you like scary movies?” He asked, glancing behind him to see Henry’s response. Henry gave him a thumbs up. Burt turned back to the shelf, he decided to go for a movie Sven gave about a week ago. He hadn't watched it yet, so he figured it could be fun for him and Henry to experience the jumpscares for the first time. After pressing play, Burt took out a bag of chips he had hidden under the bed, and their movie marathon began. 

*Several movies later*

Burt found himself struggling to stay awake, he leaned his head on Henry's shoulder. He was just so… cozy like this. He just wanted to be smothered in Henry's embrace. They've spent the night in the same room before, so it wouldn't be weird. Burt stayed there trying his best to justify his desire to cuddle in his head. But luckily he didn't need to, as Henry leaned his head on top of Burt's, seeming tired as well. Burt felt a wave of relief, and closed his eyes. Him and Henry being intimate and supporting of each other just felt so… right to him. Maybe he should ask Henry if they could be more than friends? Burt figured that he should ask Henry about those rumors concerning his sexuality first before asking him about dating. All of that could wait until the next day though; at the moment, Burt just wanted some sleep. Burt could feel himself drifting off, and just before everything around him faded he heard Henry whisper.  
"Happy birthday Burt, sleep well."  
Burt yawned. "Thanks… you too.."  
And just like that, he was off. Away wherever his dreams (or lack thereof) would take him for the night. 

To be continued...


End file.
